Hard disk drive incorporating rotating magnetic disks is commonly used for storing data in the magnetic media formed on the disk surfaces, and a movable read/write transducer is then used to read data from or write to the tracks on the disk surfaces.
As consumers constantly greater storage capacity for such disk drive devices, as well as faster and more accurate reading and writing operations, different methods are used to improve the recording density of information recording disk drive unit. As track density increases, it becomes more and more difficult to quickly and accurately position the read/write transducer over the desired information tracks on the disk. Thus, disk drive manufacturers are constantly seeking ways to improve the positional control of the read/write transducer in order to take advantage of the continual increases in track density.
FIG. 1a provides an illustration of a typical disk drive unit 100 essentially consisting of a series of rotatable disks 101 mounted on a spindle motor 102, and a Head Stack Assembly (HSA) 130 which is rotatable about an actuator arm axis 105 for accessing data tracks on disks during seeking. The HSA 130 includes at least one drive arm 104 and HGA 150. Typically, a spindling voice-coil motor (VCM) (not shown) is provided for controlling the motion of the drive arm 104.
Referring to FIG. 1b, the HGA 150 includes a slider 103 having a reading/writing transducer (not shown) imbedded therein, a suspension 190 to load or suspend the slider 103 thereon. When the disk drive is on, a spindle motor 102 will rotate the disk 101 at a high speed, and the slider 103 will fly above the disk 101 due to the air pressure drawn by the rotated disk 101. The slider 103 moves across the surface of the disk 101 in the radius direction under the control of the VCM. With a different track, the slider 103 can read data from or write data to the disk 101.
As shown in FIG. 1c, the slider 103 has a leading edge 121 and a trailing edge 123 opposite the leading edge 121, an air bearing surface (ABS) 125 connected with the leading edge 121 and the trailing edge 123. A read/write transducer 18 is formed at the trailing edge 123, and a coat layer 122 is attached on the trailing edge 123 and covers on the read/write transducer 18, and in turn a trailing surface 127 is formed on the coat layer 122. Specifically, the coat layer 122 is transparent and made of Al2O3, so as to prevent the elements of the read/write transducer 18 from leaking magnet. As shown, several bonding pads 124 are formed on the trailing surface 127 for bonding with the suspension 190.
As shown in FIG. 1d, it shows a conventional suspension 190, the suspension 190 includes a load beam 106, a base plate 108, a hinge 107 and a flexure 105, all of which are assembled together.
Specifically a suspension tongue 116 is provided at the distal end of the flexure 105 to carry the slider 103 thereon. The suspension tongue 116 has a plurality of bonding pads 117 formed thereon for coupling the slider 103.
During the bonding process, several solder balls (not shown) are supplied between the bonding pads 124 of the slider 103 and the bonding pads 117 of the suspension tongue 116, a laser beam is focused on the solder balls to make them melt and reflow so that the slider 103 and the suspension tongue 116 can be bonded together. However, as the coat layer 122 is transparent, thus the laser beam having a high energy and penetrability may damage the sensitive read/write transducer 18, as shown in FIG. 1e. Moreover, the read/write transducer 18 may separate from the coat layer 122 due to the heat shock by a direct shot of the laser beam. Therefore, the read/write transducer 18 has a possibility and potential of suffering the damage and distortion, which damages the reading and writing performance of the slider.
Thus, there is a need for an improved slider, HGA and disk drive unit that do not suffer from the above-mentioned drawbacks.